Case Study: Organisational Development Essay

As a means of accurately comprehending the issues in this case it is essential that analysis takes place using a range of managerial perspectives in relation to the implementation of change in order to understand the deficiencies in BA management’s implementation of change. A classical Organisational Development (OD) approach is focuses on changing attitudes and behaviour whereas in this case focus was solely upon improving effectiveness of organisation. According to this perspective BA disregarded several key steps in implementing this change as no feedback was gathered from staff. The OD practitioners in this case have ineffective intrapersonal and interpersonal skills as management have failed to gain the trust of its employees and do not display personal integrity. In relation to a sense making perspective BA did not understand that the change they intended to implement needed to have plausibility in the eyes of employees. Hence management’s approach to abandon talks over the introduction of smart cards and announce their forced implementation at just five days notice [ (Palmer, Dunford and Akin 2009) ]. BA did not effectively convey to positive plausible aspects of this change as employees still thought that the system would be used to make staff alter their working hours at little notice [ (Palmer, Dunford and Akin 2009) ]. Common to various change management approaches are that they highlight the need for communication to be not just about passing on information but allowing different voices to be heard. BA by abandoning talks with unions and employees and also in the lack of provision of appropriate information to their American customers during the strike demonstrates an inherent incapability of BA management to convey information effectively [ (Palmer, Dunford and Akin 2009) ]. Also apparent in this case is the lacking of one strong leader of multiple leaders not one person in BA’s management structure took control of the situation and it seems that BA management participated in groupthink to the detriment of the organisation namely its loss of 40 million pounds. According to this perspective it is argued that the style of change will depend on the scale of change and the receptivity of organisational members [ (Palmer, Dunford and Akin 2009) ]. In the case of BA the style of change was not matched to the needs of the organisation. The situation called for a collaborative style of change drawing upon input from a range of sources including employees, unions and management but instead drew upon a coercive approach thus adding further fuel to an already flamed situation, the layoff of 13000 employees. Viewing this case from a processual perspective this approach highlights a number of stages in engaging in the management of change. The third stage of this approach involves gaining acknowledgement and understanding of the importance of the problem. In relation to the BA case study example BA management fail to effectively understand the problem at hand, instead they made the choice to ignore underlying cultural issues within the organisation and proceed ahead with what they considered as the best course of action from an efficiency perspective. Evidence is found through CEO Rod Eddington’s comment that he was unaware that there was even a respect deficit to be plugged [ (Palmer, Dunford and Akin 2009) ]. In order to address the issues relating to the implementation of change in this case analysis of why BA has failed should take place. In doing this BA management should attempt to understand why their method of implementing change failed from a range of perspectives. From this BA can develop new strategies for implementing change for example using a particular change management perspective and moulding it to fit the needs of the organisation. A solution to the problem encountered by BA in this case would be to be more proactive in their change management strategies. If BA are continuously working toward change making use of employee opinions and feedback within the organisation, large scale changes such as the implementation of smart card technologies in this circumstance would encounter less resistance to change as BA would gain the trust and support of its employees due to their participation in the design and implementation of change within the organisation. In conclusion it can be identified that BA in this case have managed their implementation of change very poorly from analysis of a range of approaches relating to implementation of change and it is proposed that BA being more proactive and making use of a participative approach would be beneficial to the continued organisational development of this business. Bibliography Palmer, Ian, Richard Dunford, and Gib Akin. Managing Organizational Change: A Multiple Perspectives Approach. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2009.

Blood Promise Chapter Twenty-Two

I didn't cry very often. And I hated it when I did. The last time I'd done it around Dimitri, his arms had immediately encircled me. This time, all I got was a look of coldness and anger. â€Å"This is your fault!† he yelled, fists clenched. I cringed backward, eyes wide. â€Å"But he†¦ he attacked me†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Yes. And Inna. A human! You let a human attack you.† He couldn't keep the sneer from his voice. â€Å"You are weak. You are incapable of defending yourself-all because you refuse to be awakened!† His voice was terrifying, and the look he gave me†¦ well, it scared me almost more than Nathan had. Reaching forward, he jerked me up to my feet. â€Å"If you had just been killed, it would have been your own fault,† he said. His fingers dug into my wrist as he shook me. â€Å"You have the chance for immortality, for incredible strength! And you're too blind and stubborn to see it.† I swallowed back more tears and rubbed my eyes with the back of my free hand. No doubt I was ruining the makeup I'd so painstakingly put on. My heart was ready to explode out of my chest, I was so afraid. I expected rage and threats from Nathan-but not Dimitri. You've forgotten he's a Strigoi, something whispered in my mind. I'd gone long enough without a bite and had enough adrenaline kicking me to alertness that my nagging voice was speaking more loudly than it had in a very long time. Dimitri said I was weak because I wasn't Strigoi, but there was more to it than that. I was weak and had been subdued by Nathan and Inna because I was an addict, because I was living a life of blissful ignorance that was taking a toll on my body and my mind. The thought was startling, and I could barely hold onto it. My yearning for vampire endorphins flared up, and the two factions warred in my mind. I had enough sense not to voice any of those thoughts. I tried for something that would pacify Dimitri instead. â€Å"I don't think I'd be stronger than Nathan, even if I was turn-awakened.† He ran a hand over my hair, his cold voice thoughtful. He seemed to be calming down, but his eyes were still angry and impatient. â€Å"Perhaps not initially, but your strength of body and will carries over with the change. He's not that much older than either of us-not enough to make a noticeable difference, which is why he keeps backing down when we fight.† â€Å"Why do you keep backing down?† I felt his body go rigid, and I realized my question might be read as a slam against his prowess. I swallowed, my fear returning. He hadn't let go of my wrist, and it was starting to hurt. â€Å"Because he's right about one thing,† Dimitri said stiffly. â€Å"Killing him would bring Galina's wrath down on us. And that's not something I can afford. Yet.† â€Å"You said before that you†¦ that we†¦ had to kill her.† â€Å"Yes, and once we do, it'll be easy to seize control of her assets and organization.† â€Å"What is her organization exactly?† If I kept distracting him, the anger might go away. The monster might go away. He shrugged. â€Å"All sorts of things. This wealth isn't bought without effort.† â€Å"Effort that's illegal and hurts humans?† â€Å"Does it matter?† I didn't bother with an answer. â€Å"But Galina used to be your teacher. Can you really kill her? And I don't mean physically†¦ I mean, doesn't it bother you?† He considered. â€Å"I told you before. It's all about strength and weakness. Prey and predator. If we can bring her down-and I have no doubts we can -then she's prey. End of story.† I shivered. It was so harsh, such a stark and scary way of viewing the world. Dimitri released my wrist just then, and a wave of relief ran through me. On shaky legs, I backed up and sat on the couch. For a moment, I feared he'd grab me again, but instead he sat down beside me. â€Å"Why did Inna attack me? Why did she defend Nathan?† â€Å"Because she loves him.† Dimitri didn't bother hiding his disgust. â€Å"But how†¦?† â€Å"Who knows? Part of it is that he's promised to awaken her once she's put in time here.† Sydney's warnings came back to me, about why the Alchemists feared that humans would learn about vampires-because humans might want to turn too. â€Å"That's what most of the human servants are told.† â€Å"Told?† â€Å"Most are unworthy. Or, more often than not, someone gets hungry and finishes the human off.† I was getting sick to my stomach, independent of Dimitri's proximity. â€Å"This is all a mess.† â€Å"It doesn't have to be.† I didn't think he would shake me again, but there was a dangerous glint in his eyes. The monster was only a heartbeat away. â€Å"Time's running out. I've been lenient, Roza. Far more lenient than I would be with anyone else.† â€Å"Why? Why have you done it?† I wanted-needed-then to hear him say it was because he loved me and that because of that love, he could never force me into anything I didn't want. I needed to hear it so that I could blot out that terrifying, furious creature I'd seen a few minutes ago. â€Å"Because I know how you think. And I know awakening you of your own free will would make you a more important ally. You're independent and strong-minded-that's what makes you valuable.† â€Å"An ally, huh?† Not the woman he loved. He shifted so that his face hovered over mine. â€Å"Didn't I tell you once I'd always be there for you? I'm here. I'll protect you. We're going to be together. We're meant to be together. You know this.† There was more fierceness in his voice than affection. He kissed my lips, drawing me close. The usual heat flooded me, my body instantly responding to his. But even as my body did one thing, other thoughts were spinning through my mind. I had always thought we were meant to be together. And he had once told me he'd always be there for me. I'd always wanted that too-but I had wanted to be there for him in return. I wanted us to be equals, always watching each other's backs. Today hadn't been like that. I'd been defenseless. Weak. Never, never in my life had I been like that. Even in horrible, outmatched moments, I'd put up a decent fight. At the very least, I'd had the will to fight. Not now. I'd been terrified. I'd been ineffectual. I hadn't been able to do anything except sit there pathetically and wait for someone to rescue me. I'd let a human get the best of me. Dimitri said me becoming Strigoi was the solution. For the last week, he'd said that over and over, and while I hadn't agreed to it, I hadn't been as repulsed as I once had been. Lately, it had become a thought floating around out there, a far-off way for us to be together. And I did want to be together, especially in moments like this, when we kissed and desire crackled around both of us. But this time†¦ the desire wasn't quite as intense as usual. It was still there, but I couldn't shake the image of how he'd just been. It occurred to me with startling clarity that I was making out with a Strigoi. And that was†¦ weird. Breathing heavy, Dimitri pulled away from my lips for a moment and stared at me. Even with that composed Strigoi expression, I could see that he wanted me-in a lot of ways. It was confusing. He was Dimitri and not Dimitri. Leaning back down, he kissed my cheek, then my chin, and then my neck. His mouth opened wider, and I started to feel the points of his fangs†¦ â€Å"No,† I blurted out. He froze. â€Å"What did you say?† My heart started thumping again, as I braced myself for more rage. â€Å"Um†¦ no. Not this time.† He pulled back and looked at me, seeming both shocked and annoyed. When he didn't respond, I began to ramble. â€Å"I don't feel good†¦ I'm hurt. I'm afraid to lose the blood, even though I want†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Dimitri always said I couldn't lie to him, but I had to try. I put on my best, most passionate and innocent face. â€Å"I want it†¦ I want to feel the bite†¦ but I want to rest first, get stronger†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Let me awaken you, and you'll be strong again.† â€Å"I know,† I said, still keeping my voice slightly frantic. I looked away, hoping to increase the facade of confusion. Okay, with my life lately, faking confusion wasn't that hard. â€Å"And I'm starting to think†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I heard a sharp intake of breath. â€Å"Starting to think what?† I turned back to him, hoping I could convince him I was seriously considering turning. â€Å"I'm starting to think that I don't ever want to be weak again.† I could see it in his face. He believed me. But then, that last part hadn't been a lie. I didn't want to be weak. â€Å"Please†¦ I just want to rest. I need to think about it a little more.† There it was, the moment this all weighed on. The truth was, I wasn't just lying to him. I was lying to myself. Because seriously? I wanted that bite. Badly. I'd already gone a long time without one, and my body was screaming for it. I needed the endorphins, needed them more than air or food. And yet, in only one day without them, I'd gained a tiny shard of clarity. The part of me that wanted nothing more than the joy of ignorant ecstasy didn't care about my mind growing clearer, yet I knew, deep inside, that I had to try for a little bit more, even if it meant depriving myself of what I most wanted. After a lot of thought, Dimitri nodded and stood up. He'd read my words like I'd reached a turning point and was on the verge of accepting. â€Å"Rest, then,† he said. â€Å"And we'll talk later. But Rose†¦ we only have two days.† â€Å"Two days?† â€Å"Until Galina's deadline. That's how long she gave us. Then I make the decision for you.† â€Å"You'll awaken me?† I wasn't entirely sure if death was on the table anymore. â€Å"Yes. It'll be better for all of us if we don't reach that point.† He got off the bed and stood up. He paused a moment and reached into his pocket. â€Å"Oh. I brought you this.† He handed me a bracelet encrusted with opals and tiny diamonds, almost like it was no big deal. The bracelet was dazzling, and each opal shone with a thousand colors. â€Å"Wow. It's†¦ it's gorgeous.† I slipped it on my wrist, yet somehow, gifts like this didn't mean as much anymore. With a satisfied look, he leaned down and kissed me on the forehead. He headed for the door then and left me lying back against the couch, trying desperately to think of anything else except how I wished he would turn around and bite me. The rest of the day was agonizing. I'd always read about addicts, about how hard a time people had breaking away from alcohol or illegal drugs. I'd even once witnessed a feeder go kind of crazy when he was removed from service. He'd grown too old, and it was considered hazardous to his health to keep on giving blood to Moroi. I'd watched in amazement as he begged and pleaded to be allowed to stay, how he'd sworn he didn't mind the risk. Even though I'd known he had an addiction, I just couldn't understand why it would be so worth it for him to risk his life like that. Now I did. In those hours that passed, I would have risked my life to be bitten again. That was actually kind of funny because if I did allow another bite, I would be risking my life. I had no doubt more of that cloudy thinking would lead to an acceptance of Dimitri's offer. But with each miserable, bite deprived second that passed, my thoughts grew incrementally sharper. Oh, I was still a long way away from being free of the dreamy haze of vampire endorphins. When we'd been captured in Spokane, Eddie had been used as a Strigoi blood source, and it had taken him days to recover. Each bit of clarity now made me realize how important it was for me to stay bite free. Not that that knowledge made it any easier on my body. I had some serious problems here. It seemed like either way, I was destined to become a Strigoi. Dimitri wanted to turn me so that we could reign together as the vampiric equivalent of Bonnie and Clyde. Nathan wanted to turn me in the hopes of hunting down Lissa-and then kill me. Clearly, Dimitri's option was more appealing, but not by much. Not anymore. Yesterday, I would have said becoming a Strigoi was something I wasn't going to worry about too much. Now, the harsh reality of what it truly meant hit me, and my old feelings returned. Suicide versus existence as a creature of evil. Of course, being a creature of evil meant I could be with Dimitri†¦ Except it wasn't Dimitri. Was it? It was all so confusing. I again tried to remind myself of what he'd said long ago-that no matter how much a Strigoi seemed like the person I used to know, they weren't. Yet this Dimitri said he'd been wrong about that. â€Å"It's the endorphins, Rose. They're like drugs†¦Ã¢â‚¬  I groaned and buried my face in my hands as I sat on the couch, the TV droning in the background. Lovely. I was talking to myself now. Supposing I could break this hold Dimitri had over me and this addled state that kept making me think I'd misunderstood Strigoi†¦ well, then what? I was back to the original dilemma. No weapons to fight Strigoi with. No weapons with which to kill myself. I was back at their mercy, but at least now I was closer to putting up a good fight. Sure, it would be a losing fight, but I felt that if I stayed off the endorphins a little longer, I'd at least be able to take down Inna. That had to count for something. And there it was. Off the endorphins. Each time my mind ran through my options and hit a wall, I would spiral back to the physical reality in front of me. I wanted that high back. I wanted that haze of joy back. I needed it back, or surely, I would die. That would be what killed me and freed me from being a Strigoi†¦ â€Å"Damn it!† I stood up and began pacing around, hoping to distract myself. TV wasn't doing it; that was for sure. If I could just hold out a little longer, I could shake the drug from my system, I could figure out how to save myself and Lissa, and Lissa! Without any debate, I dove into her. If I was in her body and mind, then maybe I wouldn't have to deal with mine for a while. My withdrawal would pass more quickly. Lissa and her group had returned from the Royal Court a bit more grimly than they arrived. The cold light of morning had made Lissa feel incredibly idiotic about the party's events. Dancing on a table wasn't the worst thing in the world, but looking back over other parties she'd been to that weekend and her social life with Avery made her wonder what had gotten into her. Sometimes, she didn't even feel like herself. And the kiss with Aaron†¦ well, that was an entirely different guilt-inducing matter altogether. â€Å"Don't worry about it,† Avery told her on the plane. â€Å"We all do stupid stuff when we're drunk.† â€Å"Not me,† groaned Lissa. â€Å"This isn't like me.† Despite this claim, Lissa had nonetheless agreed to drink mimosas-champagne mixed with orange juice-on the ride back. Avery smiled. â€Å"I don't have anything to compare it to. You seem okay to me. But then, you aren't trying to run off with a human or some non-royal guy.† Lissa smiled back, and her eyes went to Jill, sitting a little ahead of them on the plane. Adrian had spoken to the younger girl earlier, but she was busy with a book now, her biggest concern seeming to be to stay away from Reed. He sat with Simon again, and Lissa was a little surprised to see the guardian eyeing Jill suspiciously. Maybe Reed had told Simon that the younger girl was some kind of threat. â€Å"You're worried about her?† asked Avery, following Lissa's gaze. â€Å"It's not that†¦ I just can't shake the way she looked at me last night.† â€Å"She's young. I think she's easily shocked.† Lissa supposed that was true. Yet young or not, there had been something refreshingly clear and honest in the way Jill had called Lissa out. It reminded Lissa of something I might do. And Lissa couldn't rest easy knowing someone like that thought badly of her. Lissa stood up. â€Å"I'll be right back,† she told Avery. â€Å"I'm going to talk to her.† Jill was obviously astonished when Lissa sat beside her. The younger girl put a bookmark in what she was reading, and whatever she might be feeling, her smile for Lissa was genuine. â€Å"Hey.† â€Å"Hey,† said Lissa. She hadn't had much of the mimosa yet and still controlled enough spirit to see Jill's aura. It was a rich teal blue, interspersed with purple and darker blue. Good, strong colors. â€Å"Look, I wanted to apologize for what happened last night†¦ what I said†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"Oh,† said Jill flushing. â€Å"It's okay, really. I mean, things were kind of crazy, and I know you weren't thinking straight. At least, I don't think you were. I don't really know. I've never actually had a drink, so I can't say.† Jill's nervousness always seemed to make her oscillate between rambling and silence. â€Å"Yeah, well, I should have been thinking straight before I got in that situation. And I'm really sorry for what happened with Reed.† Lissa lowered her voice. â€Å"No clue what happened there†¦ but that wasn't right, what he did and said to you.† Both girls found themselves studying him. He was deep in a book, but suddenly, as though he could sense them watching, his gaze turned toward Jill and Lissa. He glared, and they immediately looked away. â€Å"That definitely wasn't your fault,† said Jill. â€Å"And, you know, Adrian was there and everything. So it turned out okay.† Lissa worked to keep a straight face. Adrian was sitting out of their view, but if he hadn't been, Lissa had a feeling Jill would have been gazing at him dreamily. Adrian was doing a good deal of gazing of his own at Avery lately, and Lissa could see Jill was never going to leave that little-sister role for him. Yet it seemed clear that Jill was developing a little bit of a crush. It was cute, and even though Lissa knew it was stupid on her part, she couldn't help feeling a bit of relief that Adrian was the object of Jill's affections and not Christian. â€Å"Well, here's hoping for better choices,† said Lissa. â€Å"And hoping no one thinks too badly of me.† â€Å"I don't,† said Jill. â€Å"And I'm sure Christian won't either.† Lissa frowned, confused for a moment. â€Å"Well†¦ there's no point in stressing him out over it. It was my stupid mistake; I'll deal with it.† Now Jill frowned. She hesitated before speaking, that old nervousness returning. â€Å"But you have to. You have to tell him the truth, right?† â€Å"It's no big deal,† said Lissa, surprised at how defensive she suddenly felt. That unpredictable anger started to raise its head. â€Å"But†¦ you guys are in a serious relationship†¦ You have to always be honest, don't you? I mean, you can't lie to him.† Lissa rolled her eyes. â€Å"Jill, you haven't been in a serious relationship either, have you? Have you even gone on one date? I'm not lying to him. I'm just not telling him stuff that's going to freak him out for no reason. It's not the same.† â€Å"It is,† argued Jill. I could tell how much it killed her to talk back to Lissa, but I admired her boldness. â€Å"He has a right to know.† Lissa sighed irritably and stood up. â€Å"Forget it. I thought we could have an adult conversation, but apparently not.† The withering look she gave Jill made the girl flinch. Still, back at the Academy, guilt plagued Lissa. Christian greeted her return happily, showering her with kisses and hugs. She firmly believed Jill had overreacted, yet each time Lissa looked at Christian, she kept thinking about that kiss with Aaron. Was it as wrong as Jill had implied? It had been casual and under the influence of alcohol. Lissa knew telling Christian would upset him, though, and she hated to bring that on. Avery, listening as Lissa deliberated, agreed that there was no need to worry about it. Yet, as I looked at her through Lissa's eyes, my impression was that Avery was more worried about what Lissa's emotional reaction would be if she and Christian had a blowout. The morals seemed beside the point; Avery wanted to protect Lissa. It seemed like it was all going to blow over†¦ until later in the day, when Lissa met up with Christian to walk to dinner. His face was a storm cloud as he approached Lissa in her dorm's lobby, his pale blue eyes looking like they could shoot lightning bolts. â€Å"When were you going to tell me?† he demanded. His voice was loud, and several passing people turned in surprise. Lissa hurried him to a corner, pitching her voice low. â€Å"What are you talking about?† â€Å"You know what I'm talking about. You using your weekend getaway as a chance to hook up with other guys.† She stared at him for several heavy seconds. Then the truth hit. â€Å"Jill told you!† â€Å"Yes. I had to drag it out of her. She showed up to practice with me and was on the verge of tears.† Uncharacteristic anger suddenly burned through Lissa. â€Å"She had no right!† â€Å"You had no right. Do you honestly think you could do something like that-without ever letting me know?† â€Å"Christian, it was a stupid drunk kiss, for God's sake. A joke because he saved me from falling off a table. It meant nothing.† Christian's face grew pensive, and Lissa thought for sure he was about to agree with her. â€Å"It would have been nothing,† he said at last, â€Å"if you'd told me yourself. I shouldn't have had to hear it from someone else.† â€Å"Jill-â€Å" â€Å"-isn't the problem. You are.† Shock stunned Lissa for a moment. â€Å"What are you saying?† â€Å"I†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Christian suddenly looked weary. He rubbed his eyes. â€Å"I don't know. It's just†¦ things have been rough lately. I just†¦ I'm just not sure if I can deal with all this. You were picking fights with me before you left, and now this?† â€Å"Why won't you listen? It was nothing! Even Avery agreed.† â€Å"Oh,† said Christian sarcastically, â€Å"if Avery agreed, then it must be okay.† Lissa's temper raised its ugly head. â€Å"What's that supposed to mean? I thought you liked her.† â€Å"I do. But I don't like how you're confiding in her more than me lately.† â€Å"You didn't have a problem with me confiding in Rose.† â€Å"Avery's not Rose.† â€Å"Christian†¦Ã¢â‚¬  He shook his head. â€Å"Look, I don't really want to go to dinner anymore. I just need to think.† â€Å"When am I going to see you again?† she asked frantically. Her anger had been supplanted by fear. â€Å"I don't know. Later.† He left without another word. Lissa stared after him, aghast as he walked out of the lobby. She wanted to go throw herself at him, beg him to come back and forgive her. There were too many people around, however, and she refused to make a scene-or intrude on his space. Instead, she took off to the only resource she had left: Avery. â€Å"Didn't expect to see you again,† Avery said, opening the door to her room. â€Å"What are you-Jesus Christ. What's the matter?† She ushered Lissa in and demanded the story. With a lot of tears and near-hysteric rambling, Lissa related what had happened with Christian. â€Å"And I don't know what he meant. Does he want to break up? Will he come talk to me later? Should I go to him?† Lissa buried her face in her hands. â€Å"Oh God. You don't think there's anything going on with him and Jill, do you?† â€Å"Jailbait? No,† exclaimed Avery. â€Å"Of course not. Look, you need to calm down. You're freaking me out. This is going to be okay.† Anxiety lined Avery's face, and she went to get Lissa a glass of water. Then, reconsidering, she poured a glass of wine instead. Sitting alone, Lissa felt her wild emotions torment her. She hated what she'd done. She felt like there was something wrong with her. First she'd alienated me, and now Christian. Why couldn't she keep her friends? What did it take? Was she really going crazy? She felt out of control and desperate. And she Bam! Suddenly, and without warning, I was shoved out of Lissa's head. Her thoughts disappeared completely. I'd neither left of my own choice, nor had I been snapped back because of something in my own body. I stood in the room alone, having come to a standstill while pacing and thinking. Never, never had anything like that happened to me. This had been like†¦ well, like a physical force. Like a glass wall or force field slamming down in front of me and pushing me back. It had been an outside power. It hadn't come from me. But what was it? Had it been Lissa? To my knowledge, she'd never been able to feel me in her head. Had that changed? Had she kicked me out? Had her spinning feelings grown so strong that there was no room for me? I didn't know, and I didn't like any of it. When it had happened, aside from the sensation of being pushed, I'd experienced another strange feeling. It was like a fluttering, as if someone had reached in and tickled my mind. I'd had brief warm and cold flashes, and then it had all stopped once I was out of her head. It had felt invasive. And it had also felt†¦ familiar.

Business Ethics

Business Ethics Essay Ethics in Business From a business perspective, working under government contracts can be a very lucrative proposition. In general, a stream of orders keep coming in, revenue increases and the company grows in the aggregate. The obvious downfalls to working in this manner is both higher quality expected as well as the extensive research and documentation required for government contracts. If a part fails to perform correctly it can cause minor glitches as well as problems that can carry serious repercussions, such as in the National Semiconductor case. When both the culpable component and company are found, the question arises of how extensive these repercussions should be. Is the company as an entity liable or do you look into individual employees within that company? From an ethical perspective one would have to look at the mitigating factors of both the employees and their superiors along with the role of others in the failure of these components. Next you would have to analyze the final ruling from a corporate perspective and then we must examine the macro issue of corporate responsibility in order to attempt to find a resolution for cases like these. The first mitigating factor involved in the National Semiconductor case is the uncertainty, on the part of the employees, on the duties that they were assigned. It is plausible that during the testing procedure, an employee couldnt distinguish which parts they were to test under government standards and commercial standards. In some cases they might have even been misinformed on the final consumers of the products that they tested. In fact, ignorance on the part of the employees would fully excuse them from any moral responsibility for any damage that may result from their work. Whether it is decided that an employees is fully excused, or is given some moral responsibility, would have to be looked at on an individual basis. The second mitigating factor is the duress or threats that an employee might suffer if they do not follow through with their assignment. After the bogus testing was completed in the National Semiconductor labs, the documentation department also had to falsify documents stating that the parts had surpassed the governmental testing standards. From a legal and ethical standpoint, both the testers and the writers of the reports were merely acting as agents on direct orders from a superior. This was also the case when the plant in Singapore refused to falsify the documents and were later falsified by the employees at the have California plant before being submitted to the approval committees (Velazquez, 53). The writers of the reports were well aware of the situation yet they acted in this manner on the instruction of a supervisor. Acting in an ethical manner becomes a secondary priority in this type of environment. As stated by Alan Reder, . . . if they the employees feel they will suffer retribution, if they report a problem, they arent too likely to open their mouths. (113). The workers knew that if the reports were not falsified they would come under questioning and perhaps their employment would go into jeopardy. Although working under these conditions does not fully excuse an employees from moral fault, it does start the divulging process for determining the order of the chain of command of superiors and it helps to narrow down the person or department that issued the original request for the unethical acts. The third mitigating factor is one that perhaps encompasses the majority of the employees in the National Semiconductor case. We have to balance the direct involvement that each employee had with the defective parts. Thus, it has to be made clear that many of the employees did not have a direct duty with the testing departments or with the parts that eventually failed. Even employees, or sub-contractors, that were directly involved with the production were not aware of the incompetence on the part of the testing department. READ: Comparison Of The Piano Lesson And Sonnys Blues Essay For example, the electrical engineer that designed the defective computer chip could act in good faith that it would be tested to ensure that it did indeed meet the required government endurance tests. Also, for the employees that handled the part after the testing process, .

Budgeting and customer satisfaction Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Budgeting and customer satisfaction - Essay Example There are some factors and approaches that Duma may need to focus on/adopt in order to maintain or even increase its market share in terms of attracting more customers. Discuss these factors and approaches and how they may be used by Duma corporation. In order for Duma to expand on its market, Duma Corporation has to adopt strategic management in its operations. With strategic management, the company has to start with setting a mission, vision, and corporate objectives, and then crafting a strategy in order for the company to thrive in its chosen industry. Strategic management entails application of strategic marketing, strategic finance, strategic human resource management and other functions of the company's operations. Strategic marketing will be the front-runner of the company's efforts in order to attract more customers, and increase its market share in the process. How does the company do this' It has to assess the current level of the demand in the market, as well as the supply. Given the gap in the market, it can set a certain level of market share which it aims to capture as its marketing objective. This target market share is transformed into sales objectives. After determining its marketing objectives, the ... This target market share is transformed into sales objectives. After determining its marketing objectives, the company can craft its marketing strategy. It must set criteria to segment the market, such as profitability as it cannot please all the customers (Duncan 2005). After knowing the segments and targeting a segment where it want to operate, the company must know what the attributes are customers give premium on when choosing specialist photocopiers. Armed with this knowledge, the company can position itself according to the preferences of consumers. This positioning, or what the company stands for as regards its offer should set a level of expectation for the market. Satisfaction of its current customers is key to retaining its market share; satisfaction occurs when the level of expectation of the customers is exceeded (Pickton & Broderick 2001). Thus, Duma corporation must exceed what customers expect of its product in order to satisfy them, make them loyal to the brand or product of the company, or in extreme cases, advocate the brand which can help the company acquire more customers in the process. It is very usual that positive word of mouth can accompany high levels of customer satisfaction (Duncan 2005), and this positive word of mouth is a very powerful marketing communications tool in order for Duma to reach and convert other customers to joining its customer base. Customer satisfaction by providing satisfactory product and services is key for Duma to maintain its market share. This customer-centric approach to marketing is can only be accomplished by investing in consumer research in order to probe for the preferences of the customers (Pickton & Broderick 2001). Without knowing what the customers

A Financial Plan for Your Small Business Research Paper

A Financial Plan for Your Small Business - Research Paper Example This will capture audience attention because instead of them looking at the dust on the walls or floors, their attention will be captured in the areas where dirt is removed. In addition, the use of graffiti will be cost effective for the business as designing them are slightly cheaper compared to other advertising sources. Secondly, the business will also incorporate the use of stickers as a marketing strategy to attract the attention of audiences to visit the restaurant and order for a taste of their custom meal. The stickers will be positioned in open areas like walls, poles, and billboards to easily attract the attention of prospective customers. The stickers will be used for various purposes by the business with an intent of attracting the audiences and they will include marketing the brand image for the store. Secondly, the stickers will be used to avail information about the place, location, and products being offered by the business. Lastly, stickers will be used to increase sales in a business as they will create an interest among the audiences, hence eliciting a response from their side which may result in the purchase of the products being offered by the business. Lastly, the business may incorporate publicity stunts by sponsoring said or known artist with different talents to perform major stunts which have the ability to attract customers attention with a view of making them visit the restaurant. An example is that the business will look for famous individuals look alike of dynamo the greatest magician to perform an eye-catching stunt like swallowing fire or eating metal at the entrance of the business. While doing this he or she after completing the task my advice the audiences to visit the location more if they wish to see other stances he did not perform that particular day.  

Role of IGR and Communication in Public Administration Essay

Role of IGR and Communication in Public Administration - Essay Example One such way is through shaping the work of governmental institutions. One situation that helps to illustrate this is the â€Å"Wichita Confronts Contamination† case study. In 1990, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) in partnership with Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) gave a disturbing report concerning Wichita, Kansas (Stillman, 2009). According to the report, Wichita sat on a large polluted underground lake. The causes of the all the pollution involved different commercial and industrial chemicals. The contamination spread at a faster rate coupled with fears that it could cause serious health complications such as cancer. The polluted aquifer lay directly below the city’s central business district. Banks, residential homes and industries lay within the six-square mile area. The reaction of the local communities involved persistent calls on the government to respond and do something serious to relieve the situation. In addition to that, the ba nking sector also stopped giving loans to residents and business owners within Gilbert-Mosley area. The banks became more careful demanding certain requirements before giving out loans. To this effect, banks required inspection of sites and analysis of water and soil samples from a prospective businessperson before granting loan to individuals. The 1990 Listing Site Investigation was the first comprehensive report on the adverse contamination of Wichita. The City Manager’s office estimated that it would cost $20 million to clean the aquifer. The negative thing about the entire process was that it would take as many as 20 years. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) report recommended only two options to remedy the situation. These were either for the companies responsible for the contamination to undertake joint cleaning of the area or for the state to push the inclusion of the contaminated area in the National Priority Listing. This problem had serious effec ts for the city. The potential economic impact would drain the city of its economic achievements. About 508 businesses got identification as Potential Responsible Parties as determined by the Superfund Law. The city’s tax base faced risk from liability and bank-imposed real estate freeze. Cherches, who was at the time the city manager, had the responsibility to map a way forward in solving the problem. He took into account the two recommendations given by KDHE. The most important things to the city were to clean the aquifer and maintain the values of properties. They could only achieve this if the banks agreed to continue giving loans. Finally, the city manager decided to throw out the two options suggested by KDHE and came with a third option. The city was to take full responsibility for the cleanup. This presented the question of how to raise funds to finance for the cleanup. The dilemma presented a number of intergovernmental relations (IGR) actors. These included the busi ness owners, KDHE, EPA, the city manager’s office, Wichita City Council, the school board, lenders and the state legislature. Each of these actors had a role to play in ensuring proper representation of interests. KDHE, for instance, had a reputation to uphold. The Wichita School Board and Sedgwick County Council’s tax base faced destabilization. Banks had a role to pay in ensuring that Wichita’

Electrical Cars Annotated Bibliography Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Electrical Cars - Annotated Bibliography Example The fact that gasoline is a flammable substance powering these cars increases the chances of gasoline-powered cars catching fire. The system in gasoline-powered cars burns up the fuel to make different parts move. This way, there are increased chances of the car catching fore. As the author points out, â€Å"recent fires in the Tesla Model S were contained in the front part of the car.† This is an indication that these cars more often than not are riskier than the electric models. This is an article from the website, www.MITTechnologyreview.com. The source provides additional information on the reasons why electric cars are safer than gasoline powered cars. As such, this website will support arguments raised by other sources on the reasons why the world should embrace electric cars. The information is highly reliable, because it provides arguments that not only are electric cars efficient, they are also safer to use. The website aims at promoting the concept of electric cars, expressing then as better models than gasoline cars. The author speaks about this topic because of the increased uncertainty about the use of electric powered cars. This website will help provide reliable information in the research on the electric cars. Although different companies have launched electric cars, few people have embraced the idea. Hence, this source will seek to support the idea of the use of electric powered cars among the people. it will give additional information on the viability of electric car use among the people. when using this article in conjunction with others, the element of safety of the electric cars, considered unsafe for their lithium-ion batteries, will show that gasoline cars are in fact more dangerous. Therefore, the analogy of the safety concerns of electric cars is simply not true. Since the launch of the first electric car in 1997, the Toyota Prius, the world is yet to go mainstream in the manufacture and consumption of

Business research analysis Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Business analysis - Research Paper Example Mean is 68 for location. As for the topics, 69 is the mean. Again, the mean for timing of events is 43. The last part, which is the domestics reason part, resulted to 18 mean. The standard deviation for location is 47 Whereas, the standard deviation for topics is 46%. The standard deviation resulted to 50% for timing of an events. The last part is the standard deviation of 38% for domestic reasons. The descriptive statistics will show that minimum for interested in the subject, networking opportunity, personal development, professional and professional development is zero. The mean for interested in the subject is 54. The mean for the networking opportunity is 74. The mean for the personal development is 25. The mean for the professional development is 64%. The standard deviation for interested in the subject is 50%. The standard deviation for networking opportunity is 44%. The standard deviation for personal development 43%. The standard deviation for professional development is 64%. Regarding the question how useful is the conference, 32.3 said the conference was very useful. Then 38% of the population said that they were quite useful. The next group stated that the seminar was not very useful. Regarding the opinions on the conferences, 8.3% of the 300 population said that the conferences were too formal. ... The mean for the professional development is 64%. The standard deviation for interested in the subject is 50%. The standard deviation for networking opportunity is 44%. The standard deviation for personal development 43%. The standard deviation for professional development is 64%. Regarding the question how useful is the conference, 32.3 said the conference was very useful. Then 38% of the population said that they were quite useful. The next group stated that the seminar was not very useful. The other group of 14.7%. said that the conference was not all useful. Regarding the opinions on the conferences, 8.3% of the 300 population said that the conferences were too formal. The next group stated that the conference was about right belong to 79.7%. Then another 12%. said it was too informal. INSTITUTE PUBLICATIONS (Please circle one response only) When asks about the frequency of the institute magazine, 9% said they were too few while another 81% said they were just right and another 10% stated that they were just too many. Of the total 300 population, 35.7% indicated they very satisfied while 39.7% said they were quite satisfied with the content of the institute magazine. Another 14.7% said they were dissatisfied with the content of the institute magazine. The very dissatisfied group is only 10%. The mean is .99. The standard deviation is 95%. The respondents said, the mean for the survey on information on conference is 2 and the standard deviation is 78%. The information on local events survey resulted to 2.13 mean. This generated the standard deviation of 76%. Of the question relating to institute developments, the mean is 2.02. The standard deviation in this situation is 79%. Relating to the topic recruitment

Changes in the US intelligence over 100 years Essay

Changes in the US intelligence over 100 years - Essay Example The United States Congress has been very instrumental in reorganizing this body during the times of crisis. It is these crises that have formed the basis for the reorganization of the intelligence community. The scandals and the critics faced by the organ since it was formed is also highlighted in this context Post War era President Truman in collaboration with the Congress did find out that the United States could not meet their security needs without a defined structure for decision making. They had to find a way to deal with intelligence issues in the country. On this note, the president, in 1947 , did sign the â€Å"National Security Act†, which was a part of legislation on the intelligence community. The present day intelligence structure was formed from this simple structure. The USA had the mechanism to do so. Its public also supported this move and it was further boosted by allies who saw to it that America was helped to achieve its goals. USA in the first place took t heir satellites into the space to help them watch vast areas of the world. The other initiative was the use of spy planes1. They moved into their air space to ensure that their territory was not invaded. Many posts were placed strategically all over the world. The intelligence team then listened to the messages relayed on these stations. The country took the responsibility of training and developing manpower for example: analysts, 2technicians, program managers. Much work was done to train these people on foreign languages. USA invested more in the area and space studies which would come to help them develop the intelligence community in years to come. Post Cold War era It saw the endless efforts to make DCI to be the hub of intelligence community. The media undermined their efforts with series of disclosures on their cases. In the better part of the decade, the community underwent many changes. They came up with new reforms and their oversight also changed. For example, President N ixon (1970) gave the directive to find out how the structure of the body should be changed to ensure efficiency in information collection. Several commissions were formed to help inquire about the best ways to ensure efficiency. Among them were the Rockefeller commission, the church commission, the pike committee and the Murphy commission. These commissions would form the basis of this body. In 1975, implementation of Rockefeller commission was ordered by President Ford. Out of the 30 recommendations, 20 of them had to be implemented. The commission had recommended increased supervision of the CIA activities. Its restrictions on the domestic activities were toughened. They were provided with a prohibition on the mail openings and wire taps were removed. The community had been accused of abusing tax information. They were therefore banned from this act. The most outrageous was using drugs on people without their knowledge. The president made it possible to describe the structure of t he IC in the public and their responsibilities and well defined in the presidential document which was always made public. This order also set up a committee known as the Foreign Intelligence and was to be part of the â€Å"National Security Council†. The DCI chaired the council. He was to report to the president directly, concerning resource allocation on the intelligence activities. Many restrictions were made. An example of such is barring the intelligence from using assassinations that were part of the

The Hound of the Baskervilles Term Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

The Hound of the Baskervilles - Term Paper Example The tone of this story varies considerably. Imagery and choice of words otherwise called diction have been employed to bring out the tones of the novel. A fearful tone prevails throughout the story. Dr Watson in his first report states that they are four strong men who are in a position to protect themselves in case of anything but confesses that he fears for the Stepletons who would be helpless in case of any attack. Watson and Sir Henry had expressed concern and even suggested that Perkins could go and sleep there to offer them protection but the Stepletons turned down the offer. Characters in the story harbor a deep fear for the huge black hound-like beast. This is shown by the way the narrator describes the reaction of the characters whenever they come into contact with the beast. Doyle writes: â€Å"So paralyzed were we by the apparition that we allowed him to pass before we had recovered †¦ Henry †¦ hands raised in horror, glaring helplessly at the frightful thing wh ich was hunting him down† (264). Beast is a highly scaring creature, thus this image creates a fearful tone. The story starts in a patronizing tone. When Dr Watson and Mrs. Sherlock Holmes finds James Mortimer’s club in the Holmes’ house Mrs. Sherlock says: â€Å"†¦ been in the habit of carrying this stick behind his master.

Why Are Some People Socially Excluded Essay Example for Free

Why Are Some People Socially Excluded Essay Why are some people socially excluded? Are they excluded by society or their own behaviour? In this essay I will aim to discuss why some people are socially excluded and whether their social exclusion is as a result of individual behaviour or a consequence of the forces of society that are ultimately beyond the control of the individual. There is much difficulty when trying to understand as well as explain the term/ idea that is Social exclusion, as writers/institutions have varying degrees (and at times conflicting ideas) of what â€Å"social exclusion† is, who it includes or rather excludes and why some people become socially excluded from the wider society, whether it be through levels of human agency, the impact of institutions and or changes in legislation. Barry (2002) â€Å"SOCIAL EXCLUSION† as working definition is comparatively agree as Individual that are unable to participate or have full involvement in â€Å"key activities† of the societies in which they belong or are a part of. Legrand, Piachaud, Burckhardt (2002). There can be a multitude of differing factors involved leading to an individual or group being excluded from society, however there are many key social problems that have a direct impact on how â€Å"social exclusion† is affected by a large majority individuals/groups. A good example of a key issue is Inequality. Giddens (2006). Inequality affects individuals, in short, by way of differences ,such as Income, Health, Education, Housing, Disability, ‘Race’ and Ethnicity, Gender (and roles), Age Etc Fulcher and Scott (2011). Which essentially in itself (though interrelated), socially excludes/ isolates these groups from one another Le Grand et al (2002). Now although, â€Å"social Exclusion† is not restricted to the confines of any one particular Sub -issue mentioned (though encapsulates them all to some degree), it would be a modest assertion to agree that any individual/group affected by any of these inequalities will undoubtedly be socially excluded of full involvement from â€Å"key activities† of the wider society Le Grand et al (2002). An example of this exclusion could be a person/ group that lived on a deteriorating council estate with low achieving schools and minimal employment opportunities within that their area, could potentially be less able to ‘participate’ in activities which would achieve self betterment Giddens (2006) , say that of an individual/group living in a in which they own, in  an area with reputable schools and jobs are aplenty. This highlights Social exclusion for the former in terms of housing, education, employment as well as income. Though there are numerous examples of how inequality can have a huge impact on individuals’/groups being socially excluded through decision(s) made by forces beyond their control, this in itself can only account for a particular group experiencing Social exclusion and gives no justification for the wider society and how other individual/groups experience social exclusion. Fulcher and Scott(2011). So when considering the many dimensions of Social Exclusion as a concept of â€Å"someone or something being excluded . it raises the question of personal responsibility† Personal responsibility or human agency is the way in which social exclusion is not experienced by forces beyond the control of the individual , but in fact a personal choice not to participate with the activities of wider society, thus excluding themselves from society by their own behaviour Giddens ( 2006). Using the previous example of inequality, â€Å"an individual could choose to turn down a good job to become economically active or abstain from voting in political elections† Giddens(2006 p.356). Though this is an example the that focuses on inequality, social exclusion is a much broader concept than just that, and between sociologist there is much debate on how much agency really does go into social exclusion as a personal autonomy Barry(200), when comparing it to other groups that do chose to isolate themselves from the wider society , for instance , affluent individuals groups that choose private health care over the NHS or private schools as opposed to public schools, it is fair to suggest that there is indeed a level of personal responsibility Fulcher and Scott (2011)

CPA vs. Non-CPA Essay Example for Free

CPA vs. Non-CPA Essay Many people may ask, â€Å"What are the differences between being a CPA and just being a non-certified CPA,† there are actually a lot of differences between the two. A CPA or Certified Public Accountant is someone who has a license to practice public accounting that is issued by their State Board of Accountancy. CPA’s, in contrast, have normally studied or majored in accounting during college, sat for the CPA exam, worked in an accounting firm for at least two years, and completed 500 hours of auditing work in order to earn their certification. CPA’s are also required to complete a certain number of continuing education hours in order to keep their CPA license. A CPA can complete all three types of financial statements including: audited, reviewed, and compiled. â€Å"Non-certified accountants can simply hang up their shingle and open their doors for business† (Day). For non-certified accounts there are no educational requirements, however, in order for them to prepare taxes most states require that they complete a certain number of hours of the study of accounting and also complete continuing education hours per year. Non-certified CPA’s can only complete the last type of financial statements which is complied. The main question is how to choose whether to choose a CPA or non-certified CPA. â€Å"It has to do with the concept of free enterprise. Remember the old adage, Caveat Emptor? It means let the buyer beware† (Day). It is the client’s responsibility to choose the most qualified professional. Obviously, the auditing and review types of financial statements cost more than a complied one but some banks require a review of your books in order to receive a bank loan, so it would be in the clients best interest to have a CPA they trust already. Work Cited John Day. Theme: CPAs vs. Non-CPAs. 2008. Web. 27 November 2011. http://www.reallifeaccounting.com/pubs/Article_Theme_CPAs_vs_Non_CPAs.pdf

Causes and Effects of the Amazons Deforestation

Causes and Effects of the Amazons Deforestation Dr. G. Leckebusch Deforestation in the Amazonas Basin and the Climate Policy of Brazil – A Critical Review The contemporary issue of deforestation is seen as a rising global concern involving the complete clearance of forests either by cutting or burning. Forest clearance is seen to fluctuate however rates of decrease across the Amazon basin where as large as 30% between 2001 and 2002 (Santilli et al, 2005). Optimistic climate change models show that the median distance between the areas in the Amazon rainforest and their closest future (2050) climate model according to the prediction based on temperature and precipitation change increase to over >475km (Feeley and Rehm, 2012). Deforestation affects the Amazon basin on a large scale whereby rates have exponentially increased since 1991 (Fearnside, 2005). Cattle ranching within the Amazon are seen to account for 70% of the clearing activity (Fearnside, 2005). This argued upward trend of deforestation is set to continue due to cattle, pastures and highways (Nepstad et al, 2001). Prior to this the Amazon remained largely intact until the â€Å"modern† wave of deforestation in 1970 due to the transamazon highway. Therefore due to modern issues such as global population increase, increased demand for land and resources forest degradation is becoming an important concern which needs to be addressed. With the original extent of the Amazon forest covering approximately the area of Western Europe (Fearnside, 1993a); reliable estimates are needed to monitor deforestation levels. Recent values of deforestation are seen in Figure 1. It can be argued that there is no real explanation as to why deforestation rates fluctuate therefore Fearnside Barbosa (2004) question whether the statistics produced are valid. However these estimates are needed in order for protocols to come into action. As high deforestation rates are contributing to the global concerns such as loss of biodiversity, greenhouse gas warming as well as the destruction of such valuable resource. Protocol’s can monitor these fluctuations however before prevention takes place the causes of deforestation need to be addressed. Causes Deforestation of the Amazon rainforest can be attributed to many different factors. Although the expansion of the highway infrastructure can explain part of the deforestation in the 1970s and 1980s it cannot be the sole reason (Schaeffer et al, 2005). As it does not provide the explanation for the issue in the 1990s when the infrastructure development came to an end however the rates of deforestation still remained high. Nowadays the current expansion of highways is seen as a consequence rather than a cause as blaming governmental organisations masks the real reasons. The primary underlying forces behind deforestation in the Amazon region are combined effects of cultural, demographic, economic, technological, political issues (Schaeffer et al, 2005). Then underlying governmental policies, as well as institutional, socio-economic factors interact among themselves and function as one, driving deforestation within the Amazon (Schaeffer et al, 2005). More recently there have been different drivers of deforestation such as soybean and beef production which have therefore required a larger portion of land for production and the infrastructure involved due to globalisation. However these new drivers have not replaced existing ones they have been added to the ongoing list of deforestation drivers. These new plantations involve new infrastructure development which can expect to destroy more forest alone (Fearnside, 2001c). Infrastructures developments are seen as an added effect as the Forest loss in the 1990s would have been notably less severe were it not for the preceding infrastructure standing in its way. These transportation links are seen to accelerate the clearing of rainforests. The Avanca Brazil Program created a development package for the period 2000-07 which included a US $20 billion development in infrastructure within the Amazon region (Laurance et al, 2001; Nepstad et al 2001; Fearnside, 2002a). This development was driven by the perceived need to transport the new production of soy beans. Particularly damaging roads where the BR-163 and BR-319 highways (Fearnside, 2005). Large landholders are seen to be the most sensitive to economic change such as variable interest rates, financial returns, land prices and inflation. With Tax drivers been a strong driver of deforestation rates in the 1970-80’s (Mahar, 1979). With government subsidised credit at rates considerably lower than inflation meant that they became much scarcer after 1984. However in 1994 when Brazil set out the plan for a â€Å"Plano Real Reform† (Fearnside, 2005) hyperinflation dominated the economy however this resulted in land been at peak price reaching levels which were justifiable for production. As a result deforestation enabled claims to land and cutting for cattle pastures was the cheapest and most effective method (Hecht et al, 1988; Faminow, 1998; Fearnside, 1987/2002b). Due to Brazil’s recession deforestation rates declined throughout 1987-1991 as ranchers were unable to expand as quickly due to the government lack of funds for infrastructure developments. H owever the â€Å"Decree suspending incentives† (Fearnside, 2005) came into practice in mid 1991 which was the result of the most effective decline; evident in figure 2. It has been argued that the peak in 1995 was a result of economic recovery due to the Plano real response however due to this the fall seen in 1996 and 1997 was a logical decision of the Plano Real to cut the rate of inflation; shows fluctuation in deforestation rates (Fearnside, 2005). These major rates of fluctuations where due to money availability, inflation rate due to most of the clearing been done by those who invest to medium/large cattle ranchers. In figure 2 it is clear to see that deforestation rates climbed per year which then remained constant for 4 years followed by a steep rise in 2002 to a new level. Timber extraction has seen to be a cause of such rises as increased forest flammability has meant higher rate of loss. This undetected deforestation leads to severe damage that is visible on landsat imagery as deforestation (Cochrane et al, 1999; Nepstad et al, 199b). The role of logging increases the chance of forest fire as fires dry out large areas making a wider catchment susceptible to fires. Verissimo et al (1992) notes that forest fires create the damage of almost twice the volume of trees being harvested. Similarly a major resulting concern is the number of rainless days needed for a logged area is much lower to reach flammable conditions than for one that hasn’t (Nepstad et al, 2004). Due to the above causes a global climate impact has occurred. Global climate impact Deforestation creates a large global climate impact which includes loss of biodiversity, reduced rainfall and global warming contribution; similarly a loss of productivity, soil erosion, nutrient depletion and soil compaction. A change in the hydrological regime impact involves watershed functions been lost and flooding. The percentage of water recycled within the Amazon basin is now seen to be 20-30% (Lean et al, 1996) rather than the previous figure of 50% (Salati Vose, 1984). This at a policy view is not appreciated (Fearnside, 2004) as current levels of available water worldwide is seen as low. Results show that currently 150 million people live in cities with a persistent water shortage (defined as â€Å"having less than 100L per person per day†) and by 2050 is set to increase to almost 1 billion people (McDonald et al, 2011). The deceptive view of the potential deforestation rates increasing global precipitation levels misleads the idea that deforestation is bad. Biodiversity loss is a result of deforestation which impoverishes the earth’s biodiversity (Capobianco et al, 2001). Net emissions of greenhouse gases are increased as a result of deforestation through forest fires. Amazonian deforestation distinguishes a greater concern due to potential future emissions. In 1990 the net commission emissions from Brazilian deforestation represented 5% of the global total from a variety of sources (Fearnside, 1997b). However the concern is in the carbon stock in biomass within the Amazon which represents 38% of the tropical total (Fearnside 2000a:129). Likewise this release of carbon through tropical deforestation showed a release of 1.5 billion metric tons of carbon (GtC) to the atmosphere annually throughout the 1990’s; which can be seen as 20% of anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions. It can be seen that global climate models show that as precipitation decreases linearly there are increasing amounts of precipitation. The climate of Brazil changes due to the loss of tropical rainforests to pasture; the surface temperature increases by approximately 1 ° to 3 °, precipitation increase and a decrease in evapotranspiration. This heating out the surface leads to localised upward motions that cause the formation of clouds which in turn produces more rainfall (Shukla et al, 1990). Similarly compared to rainforest cover the degraded pasture is seen to have a higher albedo value, with lower surface roughness and a shallower and sparser root system and lower available storage capacity for soil moisture (Shukla et al, 1990). Thus cannot retain the high levels of precipitation leading to higher rates of surface runoff. Due to deforested areas been drier and more susceptible to forest fires, the ENSO triggered an extended dry condition in 1997-98 across the Amazon. This meant an increase in tree mortality and forest flammability especially in logged areas due to large areas burned releasing carbon to the atmosphere (Page et al, 2002). However even in non ENSO years global warming has been observed to be putting tropical regions at risk. Over the last 5 years droughts within the basin droughts have been detached from ENSO events but have collaborated with some of the highest temperatures on record (Gullison et al, 2007). If these droughts become more frequent and severe or the dry season lengthens due to deforestation or a reduction in rainfall due to global warming then a proportion of the carbon stored in the tropical rainforests will be released into the atmosphere (Santilli, 2005). So as Malhi et al (2004) states the undisturbed rainforests act as a â€Å"sink† for the atmospheric carbon w hich is yet to be released. The effects of Amazon deforestation upon climate change is investigated using numerical experiments of an atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) with set global sea surface temperature and the same AGCM joined to an ocean GCM (CGCM) over the global tropics. The joined model demonstrated a reduction in rainfall which was 60% larger compared to its control run (Nobre et al, 2009). Nobre concluded that amazon deforestation affects climate change and is dependent on AGCM’s. However there is a general agreement that amazon deforestation results in a local reduction in rainfall and an increase of surface temperature. This abundant cheap land within the amazon needs caps on it to ensure all is not sold. As this means destructive, fire-based agriculture, such as cattle ranching and slash-burn-farming, will continue to thrive. In the Amazon an area the size of France has already been deforested, a large fraction of which is now degraded cattle pasture with minimal benefit for the natives (Schaeffer, 2005). Therefore sustainable development is the step forward.

Archetypal Characters Within the Slasher Film Sub-Genre Essay -- Film

Archetypal Characters Within the "Slasher" Film Sub-Genre One of the most telling traits of a society is how it entertains itself. Although Americans of the late twentieth century have many choices for distraction, one medium has had a particularly significant impact upon the fabric of American culture: film. Through pandering to the ideas and beliefs of the audience, filmmakers parallel those ideas and beliefs in their creations. This correlation was demonstrated in the glut of so-called "slasher" films during the period 1974-1984. Although the films were diverse in form and execution, the basic plot of these movies involved some sort of deranged psychopath gleefully stalking and killing a number of unfortunate teenage victims. Within this sub-genre there can be found a number of basic character styles, or archetypes. These archetypes not only serve to bind certain movies into the slasher category, but also to provide a window into the culture that they cater to. In order to present a specific example of each archetype, I have chosen four films that are exemplary of the overall sub-genre. Tobe Hooper's The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) tells the story of a van full of traveling teenagers and their run-in with a family of backwoods cannibals. John Carpenter's Halloween (1978) has killer Michael Myers strangling baby-sitters on the night of said movie title. Sean Cunningham's Friday the 13th (1980) looses a hockey-masked psychopath upon a host of unsuspecting camp counselors. Finally, Tobe Hooper's The Funhouse (1981) finds four teens trapped in a carnival with a murderous sideshow freak. The most evident archetype within the slasher sub-genre is the Virgin. Usually the Virgin is the protagonist of the film, a female tee... ... of the sub-genre that began with the Wes Craven's Scream (1994). These films are not only helping to carry the archetypes of Halloween and Friday the 13th to a new generation of moviegoers, but also updating them as the culture has updated itself. Despite the changes some form of these archetypes will continue to exist, no matter how much American society alters. As long as a teenager yearns for the adrenaline rush from a masked murderer, slasher films and their archetypes will endure. Works Cited Halloween. Dir. John Carpenter, with Donald Pleasence and Jamie Lee Curtis. Falcon Productions, 1978. Friday the 13th. Dir. Sean Cunningham. Paramount, 1980. The Funhouse. Dir Tobe Hooper. Universal, 1981. McCarthy, Ken. The Splatter Film Guide. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1992. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Dir Tobe Hooper. Rosebud Communications, 1974.

Ecotourism, Tourism, and Development in Mexico Essays -- Essays Papers

Ecotourism, Tourism, and Development in Mexico â€Å"The issue of growth in the travel industry - how much, how fast, what kind - is crucial to the future of communities, local lifestyles and cultures, and the natural environment. There are a variety of instabilities and inequities associated with the expansion of tourism. If the social costs of infinite growth (human consequences of ecological pollution, centralized concentration of power, inequitable income distribution) are as high as they appear to be, our current social systems cannot support such growth indefinitely. Tourism remains a passive luxury for thousands of travelers. This must change† (Rethinking Tourism and Ecotravel by Deborah McLaren, 1998, p. 6). In the Quintana Roo state of Mexico, there are many thousands of tourists from the USA and Europe every year, which has spawned a tourism business economy and intense development of the coast. The area’s people and natural resources are going through a period of rapid change, which has the potential to benefit or damage the area. While money and development can give jobs and opportunities for education and health care, they can also deplete and damage the very resources that made the Carribean coast pleasing. Development and tourism, particularly ecotourism, must be safe and sustainable, environmentally, economically, politically, culturally. Our study has given us insight into some of these difficult development areas, and we will use our observations and conversations to demonstrate and disseminate ideas for better development. Tourism has become much more prevalent in recent times, due in large part to the increasing human population of the earth and the increasing leisure time and dis... ...tribution to the development of the Carribean coast, which has created jobs and other positive economic factors, while also threatening ecosystems and cultures that have become commodified. Tourists should be encouraged to learn about the environment and culture before, during, and after their vacation to areas, and they should make efforts to make meaningful connections to people and places so that they have reasons for treating the place well and coming back to check on things (insuring the vacation spot isn’t single-use or disposable). These kinds of efforts will insure better treatment of places and peoples by increasing the connected worth in travelers’ minds. Through practical legislation and enforcement along with caring and connected approaches to travel, tourism can become a positive element in the continued development of marketable tourist attractions.

Symbolism in Piggys Specs :: essays research papers

The Symbolism of Piggy's glasses Symbolism pervades throughout the entire narrative of Lord of the Flies and is used to illustrate the fears and tensions that exist within the boys trapped on the island. One of the novel's strength is that it weaves these vivid symbols together to assist its themes and ideas rather than labour them. Piggy's glasses become an important symbol representing the social order of the boys as they try to determine how to lead themselves. Although not a leader Piggy is the voice of reason as he mends the early splits between the boys by way of compromising. Of all the boys on the island it is Piggy who can seen as the most symbolic. His organisation helps the boys make the early decisions and he can be seen as the natural law of order, the reason thinking of humanity. Although despite being described as short and fat in the terms you might describe an animal as Piggy is the most willing to strive for survival in a civialised way. It is Piggy who says the most important words describing how the boys should act "What are we? Humans? Or animals? Or savages. What are grownups going to think?" It is this desire for docorum that underlines Piggy's belief that they will all be saved from the island - the only person to believe this will happen. Therefore Piggy himself becomes symbolic of the boys' hope to be saved from the island. The hope literally comes from his glasses. Piggy's spectacles are taken from him and used to start smoke signals. Without glasses Piggy's sight, like the boys' vision of what is in their best interests, becomes blurred. Piggy, now weakened, is no longer able to aid Ralph in his struggle to lead the group. Without the voice of adulthood that is Piggy, Ralph loses his moral guidance and begins to make bad judgments. The greater Piggy's will to escape and claim salvation so Ralph is drawn into the confusion and misguided pleasures of The Beast". As each pig is killed so a small part of what Piggy represents is corroded away. When Piggy's glasses are broken all apparent hope of escaping with them is destroyed as well. By making the glasses useless the boys are rejecting what the spectacles stand for. Now no longer able to function at all the 'short and fat' Piggy becomes an animal like the rest of the boys, where only the fittest survive.

A Poet’s response to place is rarely purely descriptive Essay

In this essay I will write about whether I agree with the statement above, or not. I will base my conclusion upon a detailed examination of two poems. I will look at the ideas and techniques poets use, language and imagery etc. I agree with the above statement, I feel nothing is purely descriptive, for example when someone says † That house looks deep-rooted and daunting† the quote is descriptive as well as being someone’s personal opinion. To one person it may look daunting but to another the house may look safe and restful. Whenever someone describes something, it always includes an opinion, so nothing can ever be purely descriptive. I will back up my opinion by looking at the two poems: London -William Blake (1757-1827) Dover Beach -Matthew Arnold (1823-1888) â€Å"London† is a poem about William Blake’s interpretation of the dark side of London, he talks about how everyone is suffering, and how everyone is looking for freedom, no one has a future. † Dover Beach† is a poem about a beach in England, Matthew Arnold is describing what he feels is wrong with the world, and the reasons for the problems we have. â€Å"London† – A poem of social protest, against the suffering of all who live in a world such as this. Written in 1789 (during the British industrial revolution). Not a poem of observed factual detail but Blake’s perception of London, he uses the traditional form of alternate rhyming lines to imitate the repetitive predictability of the circle of suffering. ‘London’ shows that: if the institution and structure of a place is corrupt then the people can never have a chance for innocence. In his poem Blake describes to the reader how there are legal restrictions on the roads, â€Å"Charter’d street†. Also how the river Thames is governed â€Å"Charter’d Thames † The quotation shows that even a river which should seem free, is owned , restricted. When Blake describes the restrictions, he is also enlightening the reader about the state of the residents of London, â€Å"mind forg’d manacles† this quotation shows the depression and imprisoning of people, in their own mind. People are searching for liberty. People in London are abandoning the church because there lives are going so wrong â€Å"Every Black’ning Church appalls†. The word â€Å"plagues† really gives us the impact of the place he was walking through, it’s a very pungent word. In this Poem, Blake uses disconnected stanza’s, almost to describe the place where he is , nothing is stable, including peoples life. The rhythm of the poem is monotonous, there is not one positive image or feeling. There is also assonance to reinforce what he is saying. In this Poem, Blake starts to describe London, but as soon as he does, he describes the way people live and how they drastically lack liberty. â€Å"Dover Beach† is a melancholic poem. Matthew Arnold uses the means of ‘pathetic fallacy’, when he projects the human feeling of sadness onto an inanimate object like the sea. A repetition of neither†¦nor in stanza 4 underlines a series of denials: â€Å". . . neither joy, nor love, nor light/ Nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain;† (l. 33-34). All these are basic human values. If none of these do truly exist, this raises the question of what remains. With these lines, Arnold draws a nihilistic view of the world he is living in. Throughout the poem, the sea is used as an image and a metaphor. At first, it is beautiful to look at in the moonlight (ll.1-8), then it begins to make hostile sounds (â€Å"grating roar† (l. 9); â€Å"tremulous cadence† (l.13)) that suggest a general feeling of sadness. In the third stanza, the sea is turned into a metaphoric â€Å"Sea of Faith† (l.21) — a symbol for a time when religion could still be experienced without the doubts brought about by progress and science (Darwinism). Now, the ‘Sea of Faith’ and also the certainty of religion withdraws itself from the human grasp and leaves only darkness behind. Matthew Arnold, not only describes Dover beach, he describes he thoughts on the world, and why things are the way they are. To conclude with both the poems I have looked at, have reinforced the statement: â€Å"A Poet’s response to place is rarely purely descriptive† I have shown by using â€Å"London† and â€Å"Dover beach† that a poet always does so much more than simply describe a place, the poet’s own thoughts and feelings shine through. The reader gets taken deep down into the poem ,and finds out why the poet feels the way he/she does. Each poem is an insight to the way poets feel about places. Neither poems just describes a place, therefore I empathize with the above statement.

My Childhood lost ? Essay

I was a happy go lucky six year old boy staying at St. Peter’s orphanage. The orphanage had about 20 children. The living conditions were not anything fancy, but we had no complaints either. I distinctly remember the morning of 1st May, 1820 when a wealthy looking middle aged gentleman came to our orphanage. He pretended to be a nice but lonely guy who wanted to adopt two healthy children between the age group of 6 to 10. He met all the children and finally selected Berley, the eldest in the group, and myself. We were thrilled! I assumed that my life would be a bed of roses from now on. Both Berley and myself bade good bye to our friends and â€Å"home† beaming with hope and dreams of a better life ahead. Our â€Å"not so lucky† friends wished us best of luck with tears in their eyes. Berley and I would now be brothers living with a wealthy man. We entered his large palatial house with trembling legs. Before long we were taken to the backyard, which, unlike the rest of the house, resembled a slum. There we met a few more children who stared at us blankly. They looked ugly, unkempt and had dark circles under their eyes. One of them had an amputated finger. Though their sight made us feel uneasy, we decided to concentrate on our first meal. Both Berley and I were expecting a treat but to our disappointment it was the worst food we had ever eaten. Soon the truth surfaced and we realized that the wealthy gentleman had â€Å"bought us† as slaves to work in a factory where he was an overseer. We were trapped for life†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ The next day started at 4 am. After getting ready we went to a dark and stinking factory where they made cotton. I was assigned to pick up dirty waste material that was being generated almost continuously. After working diligently for almost four hours I felt tired and claustrophobic so I decided go for a stroll and explore the factory with Berley. As we were walking out together, our so called â€Å"father† appeared with a big whip in his hand. Without assigning any reason, he whacked both of us several times. I stupidly sat down on the dusty floor and started howling while Berley ran back to his assignment. The overseer got angrier with me and said, ‘Not happy with one beating, eh? ‘ He gave me two hard shots on my back and harshly told me to go back to work. With big tears and a paining back I returned to complete my job. Thereafter I was then forced to go under a large machine & continue the cleaning. By the time I finished I had blood on my fingers due to a minor accident. Berley, my only friend, rushed to comfort me while I was crying For years thereafter this routine continued. Without Berley by my side I would not have managed to cope. However, we both often wondered that if this was indeed industrial revolution for a better future, someone, somewhere had made a mistake†¦.

The Return: Midnight Chapter 43

â€Å"Elena?†Stefan said quietly. â€Å"Could you ask me to come in? You have to invite me in if you want to – to talk – â€Å" Invite him in? He was already in – inside her heart. She had told the Guardians that everyone would have to accept Stefan as her boyfriend of almost a year. It didn't matter. In a low voice she said, â€Å"Come in, Stefan.† â€Å"The window's locked from your side, Elena.† Numbly, Elena unlocked the window. The next moment she was encompassed by warm, strong arms in a desperate, fervent embrace. But the moment after that, the arms dropped, leaving her frozen and lonely. â€Å"Stefan? What's wrong?†Her eyes had adapted and by the starlight through the window she could see him hesitating before her. â€Å"I can't – It isn't – It's not me you want,†he said in a rush that sounded as if it came through a constricted throat. â€Å"But I wanted you to know that – that Meredith and Matt are holding Bonnie. Comforting her, I mean. They're al okay and so is Mrs. Flowers. And I thought that you – â€Å" â€Å"They put me to sleep! They said they wouldn't put me to sleep!† â€Å"You fel asleep, lo – Elena. While we were waiting for them to send us home. We al watched over you: Bonnie, Sage, and I.†He was Stillspeaking in that formal, unusual tone. â€Å"But I thought – Well, that you might want to talk tonight, too. Before I – I left.†He put a finger up to stop his lip from shaking. â€Å"You swore you wouldn't leave me!†Elena cried. â€Å"You promised, not for any reason, not for any length of time, no matter how noble the cause!† â€Å"But – Elena – that was before I understood†¦Ã¢â‚¬  â€Å"You Stilldon't understand! Do you know – â€Å" His hand flew to cover her mouth and he put his lips to her ear. â€Å"Lo – Elena. We're in your house. Your aunt – â€Å" Elena felt her eyes widen, although of course subconsciously she had known this al along. The air of familiarity. This bed – it was her bed, and the spread was her beloved gold and white bedspread. The obstacles she'd known how to avoid in the dark – the tapping at her window†¦she was home. Like a climber who has negotiated an impossible-seeming section of rock, and almost fal en, Elena felt a tremendous rush of adrenaline. And it was this – or, perhaps, simply the power of the love that flooded through her – that achieved what she had been so clumsily trying to reach. She felt her soul expand and come out of her body. And meet Stefan's. She was appal ed by the hastily swept-away desolation in his spirit, and humbled by the surge of love that flooded every part of him at the touch of her mind. Oh, Stefan. Just – say that – that you can forgive me, that's all. If you forgive me I can live. Maybe you can even be happy with me again – if you just give it a little time. I'm already happy with you. But we have all the time in the world, Stefan reassured her. But she caught the shadow of a dark thought whisked quickly out of the way. He had al the time in the world. She, however†¦ Elena had to choke back a laugh but then clutched at Stefan suddenly. My backpack – did they take it? Where is it? Right beside your nightstand. I can reach it. Do you want it? He reached in the darkness and pul ed up something heavy and rough and none too pleasant-smel ing. Elena thrust one frantic hand inside it while Stillholding on to Stefan with the other. Yes! Oh, Stefan, it's here! He was beginning to suspect – but he only knew when she drew out the bottle labeled Evian Water and held it to her cheek. It was icy cold, although the night was mild and humid. And as it effervesced violently, it glowed in a way that no ordinary water did. I didn't mean to do it, she told Stefan, suddenly worried that he might not like to associate with a thief. At least – not at first. Sage said to get the water from the Fountain of Eternal Youth and Life into bottles. I dug up a big bottle and this little one, and somehow I stashed the smaller one in my backpack – I'd've put the big one in, too, but it didn't fit. And I didn't even think about the little one again until after they took away my Wings and my telepathy. And a good thing, Stefan thought. If they had caught you – oh, my lovely love! His arms squeezed the breath from Elena's lungs. So that's why you were suddenly so eager to leave! â€Å"They took almost everything else supernatural about me,†Elena whispered, placing her lips close to Stefan's ear. â€Å"I have to live with that, and if they'd given me a chance I'd have agreed – for the sake of Fel ‘s Church – if I'd been logical – â€Å"She broke off as she suddenly realized that she had been literal y out of her mind. She'd been worse than a thief. She'd tried to use a lethal attack on a group of – mostly – innocent people. And the worst thing was that a part of her knew that Damon would have understood her madness, while she wasn't sure Stefan ever could. â€Å"But you don't have to change me into – you know,†she began whispering frenetical y again. â€Å"A sip or two of this and I can be with you forever. Forever and – for – forever – Stefan – â€Å"She stopped, trying to get her breath and her mental balance. His hand closed over hers on the cap. â€Å"Elena.† â€Å"I'm not crying. It's because I'm happy. Forever and ever, Stefan. We can be together, just†¦just us two†¦forever.† â€Å"Elena, love.†His hand kept hers from twisting open the bottle. â€Å"It – isn't what you want?† With his other arm, Stefan pul ed her tightly to him. Her head fel forward onto his shoulder and he rested his chin on her hair. â€Å"It's what I want more than anything. I'm†¦dazed, I guess. I have been ever since – â€Å"He stopped and tried again. â€Å"If we have al the time in the world, we have tomorrow,†he said in a voice muffled by hair. â€Å"And tomorrow is time enough for you to start to think it through. There's enough in that bottle for maybe four or five people. You're the one who's going to have to decide who drinks it, love. But not tonight. Tonight is for†¦Ã¢â‚¬  With a sudden rush of joy Elena understood. â€Å"You're talking about – Damon.†Amazing how difficult it was to simply say his name. It almost seemed a violation, and yet†¦ When he could talk – like this – for a moment to me, he told me what he wanted, she sent. Stefan stirred a little in the darkness, but said nothing. Stefan, he only asked for one thing before he†¦went. It was not to be forgotten. That's all. And we're the ones who remember the most. Us and Bonnie. Aloud she added, â€Å"I wil never forget him. And I wil never let anyone else who knew him forget him – for as long as I live.† She knew she'd spoken too loudly, but Stefan didn't try to quiet her. He gave one quick shudder and then held her tightly again, his face buried in her hair. I remember, he sent to her, when Katherine asked him to join her – when we three were in Honoria Fell's crypt. I remember what he said to her. Do you? Elena felt their souls intertwine as they both saw the scene through the other's eyes. Of course, I remember too. Stefan sighed, half-laughing. I remember trying to take care of him later in Florence. He wouldn't behave, wouldn't even Influence the girls he fed on. Another sigh. I think he wanted to get caught at that point. He couldn't even look me in the face and talk about you. I made Bonnie send for you. I made sure she got both of you out here, Elena told him. Her tears had begun to flow again, but slowly – gently. Her eyes were shut and she felt a faint smile come to her lips. Do you know – Stefan's mental voice was startled, astonished – I remember something else! From when I was very young, maybe three or four years old. My father had a terrible temper, especially right after my mother died. And back then, when I was little, and my father was furious and drunk, Damon would deliberately get in between us. He'd say something obnoxious and – well, my father would end up beating him instead of me. I don't know how I could have forgotten about that. I do, Elena thought, remembering how frightened she had been of Damon when he'd first turned human – even though he'd put himself in between her and the vampires who wanted to Discipline her in the Dark Dimension. He had a gift for knowing exactly what to say – how to look – what to do – to get under anyone's skin. She could feel Stefan chuckle faintly, wryly. A gift, was it? Well, I certainly couldn't do it, and I can manage most people, Elena replied softly. Not him, though. Never him. Stefan added, But he was almost always kinder to weak people than to strong ones. He always did have that soft spot for Bonnie†¦ He broke off, as if frightened he'd ventured too near something sacred. But Elena had her bearings now. She was glad, so glad, that in the end Damon had died to save Bonnie. Elena herself needed no more proof of his feelings about her. She would always love Damon, and she would never al ow anything to diminish that love. And, somehow, it seemed fitting that she and Stefan should sit in her old bedroom and speak of what they remembered of Damon in hushed tones. She planned on taking the same thing up with the others tomorrow. When she final y fel asleep in Stefan's arms, it was hours after midnight.

Importance of Animal Behavior Essay

Why do animals behave the way they do? The answer to this question depends on what the behavior is. A cat chases a mouse to catch it. A spider spins its sticky web to trap insects. A mother dog nurses her puppies to feed them. All of these behaviors have the same purpose: getting or providing food. All animals need food for energy. They need energy to move around. In fact, they need energy just to stay alive. Baby animals also need energy to grow and develop. Birds and wasps build nests to have a safe place to store their eggs and raise their young. Many other animals build nests for the same reason. Animals protect their young in other ways, as well. For example, a mother dog not only nurses her puppies. She also washes them with her tongue and protects them from strange people or other animals. All of these behaviors help the young survive and grow up to be adults. Rabbits run away from foxes and other predators to stay alive. Their speed is their best defense. Lizards sun themselves on rocks to get warm because they cannot produce their own body heat. When they are warmer, they can move faster and be more alert. This helps them escape from predators, as well as find food. All of these animal behaviors are important. They help the animals get food for energy, make sure their young survive, or ensure that they survive themselves. Behaviors that help animals or their young survive increase the animals’ fitness. You read about fitness in the Evolution chapter. Animals with higher fitness have a better chance of passing their genes to the next generation. If genes control behaviors that increase fitness, the behaviors become more common in the species. This is called evolution by natural selection. Innate Behavior All of the behaviors shown in the images above are ways that animals act naturally. They don’t have to learn how to behave in these ways. Cats are natural-born hunters. They don’t need to learn how to hunt. Spiders spin their complex webs without learning how to do it from other spiders. Birds and wasps know how to build nests without being taught. These behaviors are called innate. An innate behavior is any behavior that occurs naturally in all animals of a given species. An innate behavior is also called an instinct. The first time an animal performs an innate behavior, the animal does it well. The animal does not have to practice the behavior in order to  get it right or become better at it. Innate behaviors are also predictable. All members of a species perform an innate behavior in the same way. From the examples described above, you can probably tell that innate behaviors usually involve important actions, like eating and caring for the young. There are many oth er examples of innate behaviors. For example, did you know that honeybees dance? The honeybee in Figure below has found a source of food. When the bee returns to its hive, it will do a dance, called the waggle dance. The way the bee moves during its dance tells other bees in the hive where to find the food. Honeybees can do the waggle dance without learning it from other bees, so it is an innate behavior. When this honeybee goes back to its hive, it will do a dance to tell the other bees in the hive where it found food. Learned Behavior Just about all other human behaviors are learned. Learned behavior is behavior that occurs only after experience or practice. Learned behavior has an advantage over innate behavior. It is more flexible. Learned behavior can be changed if conditions change. For example, you probably know the route from your house to your school. Assume that you moved to a new house in a different place, so you had to take a different route to school. What if following the old route was an innate behavior? You would not be able to adapt. Fortunately, it is a learned behavior. You can learn the new route just as you learned the old one. Although most animals can learn, animals with greater intelligence are better at learning and have more learned behaviors. Humans are the most intelligent animals. They depend on learned behaviors more than any other species. Other highly intelligent species include apes, our closest relatives in the animal kingdom. They include chimpanzees and gorillas. Both are also very good at learning behaviors. You may have heard of a gorilla named Koko. The psychologist Dr. Francine Patterson raised Koko. Dr. Patterson wanted to find out if gorillas could learn human language. Starting when Koko was just one year old, Dr. Patterson taught her to use sign language. Koko learned to use and understand more than 1,000 signs. Koko showed how much gorillas can learn. See A Conversation with Koko at http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/koko/ for additional information. Think about some of the behaviors you have learned. They might include riding a bicycle, using a computer, and playing a musical  instrument or sport. You probably did not learn all of these behaviors in the same way. Perhaps you learned some behaviors on your own, just by practicing. Other behaviors you may have learned from other people. Humans and other animals can learn behaviors in several different ways. The following methods of learning will be explored below: 1. Habituation (forming a habit). 2. Observational learning. 3. Conditioning. 4. Play. 5. Insight learning. Habituation Habituation is learning to get used to something after being exposed to it for a while. Habituation usually involves getting used to something that is annoying or frightening, but not dangerous. Habituation is one of the simplest ways of learning. It occurs in just about every species of animal. You have probably learned through habituation many times. For example, maybe you were reading a book when someone turned on a television in the same room. At first, the sound of the television may have been annoying. After awhile, you may no longer have noticed it. If so, you had become habituated to the sound. Another example of habituation is shown in Figure below. Crows and most other birds are usually afraid of people. They avoid coming close to people, or they fly away when people come near them. The crows landing on this scarecrow have gotten used to a â€Å"human† in this place. They have learned that the scarecrow poses no danger. They are no longer afraid to come close. They h ave become habituated to the scarecrow. This scarecrow is no longer scary to these crows. They have become used to its being in this spot and learned that it is not dangerous. This is an example of habituation. Can you see why habituation is useful? It lets animals ignore things that will not harm them. Without habituation, animals might waste time and energy trying to escape from things that are not really dangerous. Observational Learning Observational learning is learning by watching and copying the behavior of  someone else. Human children learn many behaviors this way. When you were a young child, you may have learned how to tie your shoes by watching your dad tie his shoes. More recently, you may have learned how to dance by watching a pop star dancing on TV. Most likely you have learned how to do math problems by watching your teachers do problems on the board at school. Can you think of other behaviors you have learned by watching and copying other people? Other animals also learn through observational learning. For example, young wolves learn to be better hunters by watching and copying the skills of older wolves in their pack. Another example of observational learning is how some monkeys have learned how to wash their food. They learned by watching and copying the behavior of other monkeys. Conditioning Conditioning is a way of learning that involves a reward or punishment. Did you ever train a dog to fetch a ball or stick by rewarding it with treats? If you did, you were using conditioning. Another example of conditioning is shown in Figure below. This lab rat has been taught to â€Å"play basketball† by being rewarded with food pellets. Conditioning also occurs in wild animals. For example, bees learn to find nectar in certain types of flowers because they have found nectar in those flowers before. This rat has been taught to put the ball through the hoop by being rewarded with food for the behavior. This is an example of conditioning. What do you think would happen if the rat was no longer rewarded for the behavior? Humans learn behaviors through conditioning, as well. A young child might learn to put away his toys by being rewarded with a bedtime story. An older child might learn to study for tests in school by being rewarded with better grades. Can you think of behaviors you learned by being rewarded for them? Conditioning does not always involve a reward. It can involve a punishment instead. A toddler might be punished with a time-out each time he grabs a toy from his baby brother. After several time-outs, he may learn to stop taking his brother’s toys. A dog might be scolded each time she jumps up on the sofa. After repeated scolding, she may learn to stay off the sofa. A bird might become ill after eating a poisonous insect. The bird may learn from this â€Å"puni shment† to avoid eating the same kind of insect in the future. Learning by Playing Most young mammals, including humans, like to play. Play is one way they learn skills they will need as adults. Think about how kittens play. They pounce on toys and chase each other. This helps them learn how to be better predators when they are older. Big cats also play. The lion cubs in Figure below are playing and practicing their hunting skills at the same time. The dogs in Figure below are playing tug-of-war with a toy. What do you think they are learning by playing together this way? Other young animals play in different ways. For example, young deer play by running and kicking up their hooves. This helps them learn how to escape from predators. These two lion cubs are playing. They are not only having fun. They are also learning how to be better hunters. Insight Learning Insight learning is learning from past experiences and reasoning. It usually involves coming up with new ways to solve problems. Insight learning generally happens quickly. An animal has a sudden flash of insight. Insight learning requires relatively great intelligence. Human beings use insight learning more than any other species. They have used their intelligence to solve problems ranging from inventing the wheel to flying rockets into space. Think about problems you have solved. Maybe you figured out how to solve a new type of math problem or how to get to the next level of a video game. If you relied on your past experiences and reasoning to do it, then you were using insight learning. One type of insight learning is making tools to solve problems. Scientists used to think that humans were the only animals intelligent enough to make tools. In fact, tool-making was believed to set humans apart from all other animals. In 1960, primate expert Jane Goodall discovered that chimpanzees also make tools. She saw a chimpanzee strip leaves from a twig. Then he poked the twig into a hole in a termite mound. After termites climbed onto the twig, he pulled the twig out of the hole and ate the insects clinging to it. The chimpanzee had made a tool to â€Å"fish† for termites. He had used insight to solve a problem. Since then, chimpanzees have been seen making several different types of tools. For example, they sharpen sticks and use them as spears for hunting. They use stones as hammers to crack open nuts. Scientists have also observed other species of animals making tools to solve problems. A crow was seen bending a  piece of wire into a hook. Then the crow used the hook to pull food out of a tube. An example of a gorilla using a walking stick is shown in Figure below. Behaviors such as these show that other species of animals can use their experience and reasoning to solve problems. They can learn through insight. This gorilla is using a branch as a tool. She is leaning on it to keep her balance while she reaches down into swampy water to catch a fish. Social Behavior Why is animal communication important? Without it, animals would not be able to live together in groups. Animals that live in groups with other members of their species are called social animals. Social animals include many species of insects, birds, and mammals. Specific examples of social animals are ants, bees, crows, wolves, and humans. To live together with one another, these animals must be able to share information. Highly Social Animals Some species of animals are very social. In these species, members of the group depend completely on one another. Different animals within the group have different jobs. Therefore, group members must work together for the good of all. Most species of ants and bees are highly social animals. Ants, like those in Figure below, live together in large groups called colonies. A colony may have millions of ants. All of the ants in the colony work together as a single unit. Each ant has a specific job. Most of the ants are workers. Their job is to build and repair the colony’s nest. Worker ants also leave the nest to find food for themselves and other colony members. The workers care for the young as well. Other ants in the colony are soldiers. They defend the colony against predators. Each colony also has a queen. Her only job is to lay eggs. She may lay millions of eggs each month. A few ants in the colony are called drones. They are the only male ants in the colony. Their job is to mate with the queen. The ants in this picture belong to the same colony. They have left the colony Honeybees and bumblebees also live in colonies. A colony of honeybees is shown in Figure don’t purge me. Each bee in the colony has a particular job. Most of the bees are workers. Young worker bees clean the colony’s hive and feed the young. Older worker bees build the waxy honeycomb or guard the hive. The oldest workers leave the hive to find food. Each colony usually has one queen that lays eggs. The colony also has a small number of male drones. They mate with the queen. All the honeybees in this colony work together. Each bee has a certain job to perform. The bees are gathered together to fly to a new home. How do you think they knew it was time to gather together? Cooperation Ants, bees, and other social animals must cooperate. Cooperation means working together with others. Members of the group may cooperate by sharing food. They may also cooperate by defending each other. Look at the ants in Figure below. They show clearly why cooperation is important. A single ant would not be able to carry this large insect back to the nest to feed the other ants. With cooperation, the job is easy. These ants are cooperating. By working together, they are able to move this much larger insect prey back to their nest. At the nest, they will share the insect with other ants that do not leave the nest. Animals in many other species cooperate. For example, lions live in groups called prides. A lion pride is shown in Figure below. All the lions in the pride cooperate. Male lions work together to defend the other lions in the pride. Female lions work together to hunt. Then they share the meat with other pride members. Another example is meerkats. Meerkats are small mammals that live in Africa. They also live in groups and cooperate with one another. For example, young female meerkats act as babysitters. They take care of the baby meerkats while their parents are away looking for food. Members of this lion pride work together. Males cooperate by defending the pride. Females cooperate by hunting and sharing the food. Mating Behavior Some of the most important animal behaviors involve mating. Mating is the pairing of an adult male and female to produce young. Adults that are most successful at attracting a mate are most likely to have offspring. Traits  that help animals attract a mate and have offspring increase their fitness. As the genes that encode these traits are passed to the next generation, the traits will become more common in the population. Courtship Behaviors In many species, females choose the male they will mate with. For their part, males try to be chosen as mates. They show females that they would be a better mate than the other males. To be chosen as a mate, males may perform courtship behaviors. These are special behaviors that help attract a mate. Male courtship behaviors get the attention of females and show off a male’s traits. Different species have different courtship behaviors. Remember the peacock raising his tail feathers in Figure above? This is an example of courtship behavior. The peacock is trying to impress females of his species with his beautiful feathers. Another example of courtship behavior in birds is shown in Figure below. This bird is called a blue-footed booby. He is doing a dance to attract a female for mating. During the dance, he spreads out his wings and stamps his feet on the ground. . This blue-footed booby is a species of sea bird. The male pictured here is doing a courtship Courtship behaviors occur in many other species. For example, males in some species of whales have special mating songs to attract females as mates. Frogs croak for the same reason. Male deer clash antlers to court females. Male jumping spiders jump from side to side to attract mates. Courtship behaviors are one type of display behavior. A display behavior is a fixed set of actions that carries a specific message. Although many display behaviors are used to attract mates, some display behaviors have other purposes. For example, display behaviors may be used to warn other animals to stay away, as you will read below. Caring for the Young In most species of birds and mammals, one or both parents care for their offspring. Caring for the young may include making a nest or other shelter. It may also include feeding the young and protecting them from predators. Caring for offspring increases their chances of surviving. Birds called killdeers have an interesting way to protect their chicks. When a predator gets too close to her nest, a mother killdeer pretends to have a broken wing. The mother walks away from the nest holding her wing as though it is  injured. This is what the killdeer in Figure below is doing. The predator thinks she is injured and will be easy prey. The mother leads the predator away from the nest and then flies away. This mother killdeer is pretending she has a broken wing. She is trying to attract a predator In most species of mammals, parents also teach their offspring important skills. For example, meerkat parents teach their pups how to eat scorpions without being stung. A scorpion sting can be deadly, so this is a very important skill. Teaching the young important skills makes it more likely that they will survive. Defending Territory Some species of animals are territorial. This means that they defend their area. The area they defend usually contains their nest and enough food for themselves and their offspring. A species is more likely to be territorial if there is not very much food in their area. Animals generally do not defend their territory by fighting. Instead, they are more likely to use display behavior. The behavior tells other animals to stay away. It gets the message across without the need for fighting. Display behavior is generally safer and uses less energy than fighting. Male gorillas use display behavior to defend their territory. They pound on their chests and thump the ground with their hands to warn other male gorillas to keep away from their area. The robin in Figure below is also using display behavior to defend his territory. He is displaying his red breast to warn other robins to stay away. The red breast of this male robin is easy to see. The robin displays his bright red chest to defend his territory. It warns other robins to keep out of his area. Some animals deposit chemicals to mark the boundary of their territory. This is why dogs urinate on fire hydrants and other objects. Cats may also mark their territory by depositing chemicals. They have scent glands in their face. They deposit chemicals by rubbing their face against objects. Cycles of Behavior Many animal behaviors change in a regular way. They go through cycles. Some cycles of behavior repeat each year. Other cycles of behavior repeat every day. Yearly Cycles An example of a behavior with a yearly cycle is hibernation. Hibernation is a state in which an animal’s body processes are slower than usual and its body temperature falls. An animal uses less energy than usual during hibernation. This helps the animal survive during a time of year when food is scarce. Hibernation may last for weeks or months. Animals that hibernate include species of bats, squirrels, and snakes. Most people think that bears hibernate. In fact, bears do not go into true hibernation. In the winter, they go into a deep sleep. However, their body processes do not slow down very much. Their body temperature also remains about the same as usual. Bears can be awakened easily from their winter sleep. Instinctual behavior One type of instinctual behavior is fixed action patterns, which are behaviors the animal is compelled to engage in. For instance, some birds will raise the chicks of other birds if the eggs are put in their nests during nesting season, because caring for an egg is a fixed action pattern. Another instinctual behavior is imprinting, wherein a baby animal accepts a person, or even an item, as a surrogate mother. Sexual behavior is also instinctual, bolstered by play, which helps animals learn courtship and mating skills. Many of these behaviors are dictated by specific body systems, like the nervous system, which responds to stimuli in the environment. Learned behavior Learned behavior is important both for wild animals, who must learn specific and new ways to survive, and for domestic animals that we seek to train. Animals can learn to anticipate that an action will have a predictable outcome through trial and error, such as dog learning to sit for a treat. This is called operant conditioning. They can also learn that one event precedes another, such as the sound of a metal food bowl being moved signaling food being served, which is known as associative learning. Animals also learn a lot through watching others and mimicry. All of these behaviors allow an animal to adapt to new situations and problems. Abnormal behavior Identifying behavior patterns enables people to determine when animals are  behaving abnormally. These abnormal behaviors might simply be annoying to animal owners; however, in other instances they may also be dangerous for the animal and others or even threaten their very survival. For example, inappropriately aggressive dogs, which might be suffering from disease or trauma, are potentially dangerous to themselves and others. The behavior may be addressed if it is identified as abnormal and normal behavior is reestablished. More important to species survival are mating and raising offspring, and in these cases abnormal behavior that leads to failure to mate or care for offspring can present a threat to the animal’s long-term survival.